How to keep your love for God
John Flavel | 3L | 122 pages | €11.50
"The heart is the first thing to live and the last to die." So wrote the philosophers and poets of the 19th century. The heart is the seat of principles and the foundation of all actions. God's eyes are upon our hearts—therefore, our eyes should be upon them as well.
John Flavel was a 17th-century English Puritan preacher. In "Keep Your Heart," he powerfully draws our attention to the importance of orienting our hearts toward God in all circumstances. Based on the key biblical verse from Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, keep your heart, for everything you do flows from it," Flavel calls upon the reader to engage in honest self-examination and to consciously align their hearts with Christ.
Flavel writes clearly, compellingly, and with reference to many practical applications. Already in the first chapter, he states: “The human heart is its worst part before it is renewed; but afterward, it is its best part.” With this, the author unequivocally emphasizes the saving and necessary rebirth in Christ. “The greatest difficulty in conversion is winning the heart for God—and after conversion, keeping it for God.” With such words, Flavel calls for repentance, daily vigilance, and the cultivation of a renewed heart.
This book poses a central question to me as a reader, one that challenges me to reflect: "Do I really love God?"
Daniel Neumann,
Municipality of Zweibrücken